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From the eccentric author of and ().
About A Field Guide to Identifying Unicorns By Sound
There are many ways to detect the presence of a unicorn in your own backyard, without the need for expensive electronic equipment (leave that to the greenhorn rangers) or a virgin maid (leave her to the hopeless romantics). The most obvious is via the faculty of sight. When conditions of poor visibility preclude this approach, the “third eye” of intuition is commonly employed to track down the elusive beast.
This book, however, will focus on the immense potential of the human ear. It is a little-known fact that, with listening practice, the human ear can be a peerless tool for perceiving unicorns. (The converse principle—that the unicorn ear is a peerless tool for perceiving humans—is, if true, a fact so little-known as to be undocumented.) Even those unicorn fanciers with hearing loss or profound deafness will benefit from the wealth of knowledge contained herein. Just as our old friend the blind Mexican cave fish (astyanax hubbsi) responds to moving visual stimuli, the human ear responds to unicorn sounds—even to those unicornian vibrations that are technically outside the range of one’s hearing.
This book weaves precious bits and pieces of evidence like a Celtic braid, gathering from a wide variety of sources: chronicles of yore, modern-day eyewitness accounts, oral histories and folk traditions, and, of course, myths and legends from around the world. These testaments are not intended to stand as scientific proof of unicorns. On the contrary, they paint a far grander picture than the tight rein of science can fabricate. It is the intention of this book to beguile your eardrums with the rhythmic hoofbeats, melodic whinnies, wistful sighs, and even bated breaths of the majestic unicorn. And when the book ends, its story will continue. For the final chapter of our saga will be yours to tell, based upon your own unforgettable first-hand experiences.
Praise
“Delightful.” —Eugene Burger, author of Mastering the Art of Magic
“A great treat.” —Gordon Meyer, author of Smart Home Hacks
“Hilarious!” —Blaire Baron Larsen, author of Women in Boxes
“A really wonderful book.” —T. Byron Kelly, author of Project End of Days
“Brilliant! I read it as a stylistically sly and wonderfully evocative poem. A riot for the senses.” —Beeg Srahka, recording artist
“This is remarkable . . . I’ve sometimes thought I have seen or been in the presence of unicorns, but now I have the skills to actually seek them out! What a revelation. My favourite parts were ‘Practice keeping an ear out for . . . an improbable tinkling of wind chimes . . . [and] a flatted fifth from an uninvited trombone’ from Chapter 1.” —Jesta Flash, “The Temple of Sublime Truth”
“Today’s reading for the slightly off-center gardener . . . You wouldn’t want to miss knowing you had a unicorn in your garden simply because you weren’t listening.” —“The Random Yak”
“One-of-a-kind. ‘Innocent appearing’ sputtering wit and sense of absurdity. The ‘Field Guide’ is a wonderful gift. Its subject is perfect. Everyone loves unicorns; they are acutely sympatico and don’t age. A hundred years from now, the book will be just as funny.” —Julie von der Ropp, graphic designer
“Marked by humor, a broad literary erudition and a marvelous sense of the absurd.” —Stephen Saperstein Frug
“This could change my life forever.” —Father Cory
Introduction
A rustle of leaves in the breeze. A subtle creaking of tree branches. (An eerie whinny?) A humming of insects. A chirping of songbirds. (A soft clomping of hooves?)
Though they “aren’t as rare as you might think,” unicorns, like other retiring creatures of the forest, are often shrouded by their habitat. How many bird watchers have spied a warbler perched upon a tapered branch, never dreaming that the selfsame branch is, in actuality, a unicorn’s horn? Truth be told, far more unicorn herds are heard than are ever seen. Out of the gleeful chorus of wilderness creatures, the simplest way to pinpoint an elusive unicorn is to listen for its song.
Here’s a secret: expert unicorn spotters can “see” more unicorns, per capita, with their eyelids shut than the average person can see with eyes wide open. That’s because they have an intimate friendship with the sounds unicorns make. As you concentrate with eyes closed and mind focused, you may detect the telltale song of the unicorn, announcing the presence of the venerable creature and beckoning you to begin your quest. When you open your eyes, the unicorn may not be immediately visible, but you’ll know where to start looking.
Hearing a unicorn requires time, patience, and “deep listening” skill on the part of the human, and vocal projection on the part of the unicorn. Because we live in a highly visual world, we rarely exercise the full range of our hearing. Yet our ears can detect things that our eyes automatically neglect. By listening as opposed to looking, we can avoid overlooking. Practice can be richly rewarding, whether one is listening for unicorns in particular or neglected delights in general.
This compact yet comprehensive guide will help you to identify the various calls of the mysterious unicorn as it frolics in its natural environment. Along the way, you will become better acquainted with unicorns’ habits, eccentricities, antics, attitudes, and manners. Before you know it, encountering unicorns will become second nature to you, and you will have collected a treasure-trove of observations, anecdotes, snapshots, sketches, and memories for your unicorn scrapbook!
A few preliminary listening tips are in order:
- Sit for a spell. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no need to wear camouflage or to hide, at least as far as the unicorn is concerned. (If, however, you feel more comfortable wearing camouflage or hiding, you may do so without ill effect.) If you are still, relaxed, and “at one with nature,” the typical unicorn won’t be frightened. Find a comfortable place, such as under a tree, and allow yourself to “tune in” to the environment. After a few minutes, you’ll notice a marked refinement in your hearing—you’ll pick up on subtle auditory changes.
- Since the human field of vision is less than 180°, there are great odds that a unicorn will approach from one of your many blind spots. Close your eyes and practice being aware of sounds coming from different directions, especially from behind you. One of the advantages of hearing over sight is that our ears offer a 360° scope.
- Birdsong will likely be prominent in the soundscape, so practice listening beyond it to more subtle noises. Undue attention to birds when listening for unicorns is the sensory equivalent of overindulging in hors d’oeuvres and thereby spoiling one’s appetite for dinner.
- Experiment with listening at different times of day, as unicorns can have unpredictable schedules. Sunset and midnight are recommended listening times. So is the break of dawn:
The sounds of the unicorns rose from the canyon below them as the first signs of the new day appeared in the sky. (Walter Dean Myers, Shadow of the Red Moon, 1997)
- Listen for sudden changes in the sounds that come—or fail to come—from conventional animals. An animal’s alarm call might warn of a predator, while celebratory sounds, noncommittal murmurings, or eerie silence might signal the presence of a unicorn. Chapter One explores environmental changes in detail. Without further ado, let the adventure begin!
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Also of Interest
Unicorn-themed color palettes from ColourLovers.com:
"Unicorn Love" by jennyhelmbold. The full palette description is here. |
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"Temporary Unicorn" by MattyD. The full palette description is here. |
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"Purple Unicorns" by Angiers. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn Night Light" by Hellbuny. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn Tapestry" by MattyD. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn Soup" by Kimib. The full palette description is here. |
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"The Unicorn is Dead" by Prettyghost. The full palette description is here. |
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"Awkward Unicorn" by Trademarkrain. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn Disguised" by Qlaudia. The full palette description is here. |
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"I Was Born a Unicorn" by Gabr!ella. The full palette description is here. |
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"Purple Unicorn" by Peachbelle. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorns" by Xtoq. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn" by Fidgety. The full palette description is here. |
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"Real Men Heart Unicorns" by Zkarcher. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn" by BangBang. The full palette description is here. |
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"Fairy on a Unicorn" by Just Me. The full palette description is here. |
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"Lady & Unicorn" by Amael. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn" by SpeakinColors. The full palette description is here. |
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"Uniquecorn Love" by SpeakinColors. The full palette description is here. |
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"Believe in Unicorns" by wolftlou. The full palette description is here. |
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"Unicorn" by Pixelpoet. The full palette description is here. |
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